Tempest moved quickly and as soon as Rhys had the door open, he rushed the first guard, taking him down with a fist to his jaw. The second did not fall so easily and the two were soon engaged in fisticuffs while the first one started to pull himself up.
She feared that Rhys would be overpowered and thus rushed to open the other cells and hoped that the men were not so dangerous as to kill her.
Instead, they attacked the two jailers until they were unconscious then fled the gaol with Rhys and Tempest following.
He grabbed her hand then pulled her into the shadows as he made his way out of Fort-de-France, quickly and quietly without being seen and only speaking once they had reached the outskirts and neared the forest.
“Can you run in that skirt?”
She hiked it revealing his trousers and her boots. “Yes.”
“Follow me and stay close.”
Tempest did not lose sight of him but feared that she would hear soldiers yell for them to stop at any moment.
How soon would it be noted that Rhys and the others had escaped.
They could have been quieter about it. Her plan had been to slip out so that his missing would not have been noticed until the morning to give them time, but he had needed the help of the others, and they might be the reason they were caught.
“Do you know where you are going?” she asked, her breaths coming short.
“Yes. I know this way well.”
“I cannot see.”
“You do not need to. You have me.” He reached back and grasped her hand.
The stitch began in her side and she tried to ignore it.
“Can we slow down for a moment?” His legs were longer than hers and it was becoming difficult to catch up.
“I am sorry,” Rhys apologized as he slowed his steps until they were walking. “We are far enough that had they come after us, we would already know.”
Oh, she hoped that was the case.
“I cannot believe you dressed like that, flirted with a guard and lifted his keys.” At least he was laughing and not chastising.
“I could not very well leave you to rot in the gaol, could I?”
“Thank you, but we must still hurry and we can discuss if maybe you shouldn’t be the spy.”
Instead of running all out as he had, he kept an easier pace, and Tempest could keep up much easier, and then they heard shouts.
“Blast!”
She glanced back and in the light of the moon, she saw a glimpse of a white coat.
“Hurry,” she hissed and Rhys ran faster and she followed. It didn’t matter how badly her side began to hurt, she refused to get caught. They were able to put more distance between them and the soldiers but she knew that they would follow them to the hut, where her sisters were. They just needed to arrive there first.
“I will get the boat. You get your sisters,” Rhys ordered when the house came into view.”
Tempest rushed inside and yelled for them to run for the boat. “Hurry! Run!”
For once her sisters did not pause to ask questions, not even Margaret but obeyed instantly.
When they reached the small inlet, Rhys already had the boat in the water and waiting. He helped them in the boat, one at a time and ordered them where to sit. She was the last and took one of the center seats and then he climbed in, took hold of the oars and started rowing.
Shouts of the soldiers soon reached them and he rowed even more quickly.
